I was going to call this Autumn Hummus, but really, what does that tell you?  Nada!  The pumpkin and roasted peppers are there, but they are subtle.  Not front flavors at all.  And it’s very festive-looking.  I was going to make a roasted pepper hummus, but I had made the Spicy Pumpkin Pie Rice Pudding and I had a good quarter cup of pumpkin leftover and I don’t waste.  I blame it on my parents (I’m an equal opportunity blamer!), who came of age during the Depression.  We just didn’t throw things away.  Even things that should be pitched, we kept, because “you just never know when you’re going to need” whatever.  One of my mother’s favorite sayings was, “A willful way, is a woeful want”.  I have never been entirely certain what that really means, but it was her words of wisdom, and wisdom she had.  I miss her everyday.  Anyway,  I had leftover pumpkin and also a leftover roasted red pepper, so why not?  Those things can actually compliment each other, but I also didn’t want to over-power the beans.  I like the bean-y taste of hummus…balance.  It’s about balance, as it always is.

A bit of info for you—Molho de Alho is a seasoning sauce from Brazil.  It translates to “Garlic Sauce”, but it’s just so much more.  It adds a decent amount of garlic, but it has a bit of vinegar, too.  I like to put a few drops on my salad, on a burger, add a little to a sauce.  Brazilians use it as a condiment.  They put it on empanadas, and other hand-foods.  Think of how you might use hot sauce…a few drops (or many drops!) on food.  Well, that’s how you would use this “molho”.  So, if you have access to a Brazilian market, get yourself a bottle…or maybe two!  It’s also gluten-free.

I’m certain many of you make hummus.  As you know, it’s pretty simple—The beans, pumpkin, and roasted pepper into the bowl of your food processor, whirl and scrape, whirl and scrape.  Then, add the tahini and spices and, if the mixture is too thick, add a little water, 1 teaspoon at a time, whirling after the addition(s) until you have a “moveable” paste.  Now, this is where we part ways from most other methods.  We’re going to turn on the processor and walk away!  Not too far, but we’re going to let this whirl for a total of about 5 minutes.  I usually scrape the mixture down a couple of times, but it’s important to let the mixture “whip”.  The lengthy whirling makes the mixture very smooth, but it also adds air and makes for a lighter consistency, which The Goddess happens to like.  She all about lightness, you know!

And that’s pretty much it.  I scrape the hummus into a bowl, pop it in the fridge for at least 3 or 4 hours or overnight.  The flavors will blend, and the mixture will thicken slightly.

When I’m ready serve it, I combine the oils in a small bowl.  Then, I scrape the hummus into a flat dish/bowl.  Make a small depression in the center of the hummus, using the back of my handy-dandy spatula.  Now, with a teaspoon, drizzle the oil(s) over the hummus.  Sprinkle with the sumac, if you wish.  It’s pretty, but it really isn’t totally necessary.  If you haven’t used sumac, it has a nice lemony taste and is has a lovely reddish color.  You can find sumac in any well-stocked Mediterranean market.  I like to used pita chips for this, but just plain pita bread, cut into triangles is equally delicious.  Enjoy!